Couple who struggled to have a baby for 15 years celebrate rainbow twins

By Emma Dunn via SWNS

A couple who tried for a baby for 15 years and suffered five miscarriages say their "rainbow twins'" were “worth every second of the wait."

Jennie Hill, 45, and her husband, John, 44, started trying for a baby in 2003 and turned to IVF after enduring five heartbreaking miscarriages.

They had three egg retrievals in 2015 – but only two embryos made it.

They were delighted when an embryo stuck and they welcomed their first rainbow baby (a healthy baby born after losing a baby due to miscarriage) Harper, now five, in January 2017.

Jennie found out she was pregnant in March 2016 and managed to carry Harper to full term.

The tot was delivered via an emergency c- section in January 2017, weighing a healthy 7lbs 14oz.

The couple transferred their remaining embryo in January 2019 and fell pregnant with a baby boy, Liam, now three.

Jennie developed gestational diabetes and had to give birth to Harper's biological twin Liam at 37 weeks in September 2019, weighing 5lbs 14oz.

He spent six days in the neonatal unit before he was able to come home to join his big sister.

Jennie and John couldn’t be happier with their family, despite their long journey to get there.

Jennie, who works for a non-profit, from Atlanta, Georgia, said: “It was a long-awaited journey but worth every second of the wait.

“Our family is now complete.

“It’s an indescribable feeling.

“They are really ours.

“We went through the storm to get our rainbows.

“The journey was worth it to get Harper and Liam.”

Jennie and John, a general manager for an international poultry company, suffered their first miscarriage on Christmas Eve in 2003 and spent the next 15 years grieving and continuing to try and conceive.

After four miscarriages, Jennie and John decided it may be time to look into other options.

“I couldn’t go through it again,” she said.

“I thought something was wrong with me.”

Jennie was diagnosed with balanced translocation in 2014 following a blood test – a genetic variant causing recurrent miscarriages.

The couple decided to give IVF a try but fell pregnant naturally one last time before starting treatment - which resulted in their fifth miscarriage.

They had 65 eggs retrieved but after fertilization and genetic testing only two embryos made it and the couple was advised to try one at a time to not risk losing both.

“I got to see the moment they put the embryo in,” Jennie said.

“I saw that as my silver lining.”

Jennie carried Harper to 39 weeks but had to have an emergency c-section due to pre-eclampsia in January 2017 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Braselton, Georgia, US.

“She’s a miracle,” Jennie said.

“I cried when I saw her for the first time.

“I was balling non-stop.”

Jennie and John knew they wanted to try their remaining embryo to give Harper a sibling.

“I was almost 40 when I had Harper,” she said.

“I wanted them close in age and age for me was also a factor.”

The couple had their second embryo transferred in January 2019, when Harper was two, but Jennie struggled with the pregnancy this time around.

“I ended up on bed rest,” she said.

“I developed gestational diabetes and had to have him early at 37 weeks.”

Jennie was induced before being taken for a c-section and welcomed baby Liam in September 2019, weighing 5lbs 14oz.

“They are medical twins because they come from the same batch,” Jennie said.

“They look so much alike.

“Harper is so sassy and she’s so smart.

“Liam is a homebody.

“He shies away from people but he keeps me on my toes.”

The family now enjoys every day together.

“It’s so much fun,” Jennie said.

“I have so much gratitude.

“Journeys are meant to be a certain way.

“Mine was meant to be this way.”